The 5th Anniversary of the World Trade Center/Pentagon Attacks - Remembering

Its hard to believe that it has been five years since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. No doubt that everyone of us will remember where they were and what they were doing when they first heard of the attacks. I had just gotten to work and my supervisor and a foreman were just standing there looking at me. I said, "What?" They asked if I had been watching TV or listening to the radio this morning, which I hadn't. They pointed to the room where we had a small TV. I remember looking at the screen and not knowing what was going on. "What IS this?" Everything was all gray and white and sandy looking. When they told me, I still couldn't fathom what had happened. When I heard that the buildings had fallen, I said," No! That's impossible! Two large buildings like that just collapsing?" I'm sure we all felt that feeling of helplessness, disbelief, and shock.

Watching TV at home that night was even worse, I believe. They were showing all the people holding up pictures of their loved ones, hoping someone had seen them. There were pictures lining the walls all along the streets. Hundreds and hundreds of pictures. It gripped at my heart. I still couldn't imagine that this many people could have been lost. I remember when someone asked Rudy Guilliani how many people he thought had died, and his answer was, "More than we will be able to bear." That statement still brings tears to my eyes.

When I first heard Clay's song, "This is The Night" and the sentence, "When the world wasn't upside down", the first thing I thought of was the attacks on America. I don't know that they had that in mind when they wrote that song two years after the attacks, but I just kept thinking how the world had been turned upside down on September 11, 2001, never to quite be the same again.

We are now in the middle of a beautiful time in Claynation. Clay's CD is about to be released, there are lots of upcoming television programs to watch, seeing Clay so happy at the Star Search show was so heartwarming, pictures and videos galore. I could go on and on. Clay has brought us in the last three years a much needed reprieve from the uglier things in the world. He's brought so much joy to us and given many of us much more meaning to our lives...introducing us to new friends, ways to reach out, and the loving, giving person that he is. We are 1000 times blessed.

However, as we enjoy these wonderful blessings of Clay Fandom, let us not forget the events of September 11, 2001. The people who lost friends and family members. The brave firefighters, policemen, and others who risked their lives, even losing their lives, to save others. The ordinary every day people who made their way to the Trade Center to serve sandwiches and give the firefighters a cold washcloth. And those government officials who I believe are trying as best they can to make our country a safer place to be.

If you want to join a great thread remembering 9/11 go to The Clayboard to read and post your thoughts.

And let us never ever forget.

clayis' note: On behalf of all Claynadians- our thoughts and prayers extend out the the 9/11 families. United we stand.

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